Autochthonous malaria in Italy probably not
---------------------------------------------
I would suggest to carefully check this information about autochthonous
malaria in Italy!
First of all, this would not be "the 1st case of malaria in which the
person was infected in Italy since then" (1970), as a previous and well
documented case of vivax malaria had been transmitted by a local mosquito
in 1997, in the "Maremma" of Tuscany (Lancet 1998;351:1246-7).
Secondly, past travel history should be carefully ascertained: in our
practice we have seen several cases of vivax malaria after years (up to > 6
y) after last visiting an endemic area, which would be by no mean exceptional.
As is well known, "endemic" areas for Plasmodium vivax still include
countries such as Southern Turkey relatively close to Italy. And finally,
other forms of "cryptic" malaria do exist and have been reported more
frequently (in non endemic countries including Italy) than cases of
transmission by local mosquitoes.
Therefore I disagree that "It is conceivable that malaria may have returned
to the area". Of all the possibilities, this appears to me by and large the
most unlikely.
I strongly suggest that before disseminating in a hurry unlikely infos,
taken from the general press, that could create alarm (I have personally
already received many mails only this morning), this should checked with
the doctors in charge of the patients, in this case the colleagues from
Spallanzani Hospital!
--
Dr Zeno Bisoffi
Primario, Centro per le Malattie Tropicali
Head, Centre for Tropical Diseases
Directeur, Centre pour les Maladies Tropicales
Director, Centro para Enfermedades Tropicales
Ospedale S. Cuore, 37024 Negrar - Verona (Italy)
zeno.bisoffi@sacrocuore.it
Ref. Ref. http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:5810101632383761::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400
